2019 Texas Legislature

The 86th regular session of the Texas Legislature begins January 8, 2019 and runs for 140 days through May 27, 2019. Check here for a list of housing-related bills that we will be updating and tracking throughout the session.

Tenant-Landlord

HB 69 Author: MinjarezDescription: Establishes protocol for vacating housing and ending a lease after a tenant’s death

HB 174Author: CanalesDescription: Relating to the expunction of eviction records

HB 175Author: CanalesDescription: Limiting the amount of late fees that can be charged to tenants using a housing choice voucher

HB 608Author: ThierryDescription: Would permit the City of Houston to place a lien on residential property for unpaid substandard residential building fines

HB 624Author: NeaveDescription: Establishes a 7-day notification period for landlords to tenants of increases in rent prior to any notification period for tenants to landlords of notice to vacate

HB 970Author: WalleDescription: Requires landlords to notify tenants in residential property, commercial property, or on manufactured home lots if property is located in a flood zone

HB 993Author: ColemanDescription: Requires landlords to notify tenants in residential property if property is located in a flood zone or has been subjected to flooding in the past

HB 1002Author: CollierDescription: Companion bill to SB 125

HB 1209Author: RodriguezDescription: Expands the types of documentation that a tenant who is a victim of domestic violence can provide to a landlord to terminate lease without future liability

HB 1257Author: RosenthalDescription: Repeals the prohibition on local governments adopting and enforcing ordinances that prohibit housing discrimination based on a tenant’s use of a housing choice voucher

HB 1519Author: PhelanDescription: Relates to the calculation and reasonableness of late fees that can be charged by a landlord to a tenant for the late payment of rent

HB 1860Author: NeaveDescription: Requires that a landlord provide at least 48 hours notice in writing before entering a dwelling except in the case of an emergency

HB 2187Author: RodriguezDescription: Repeals the prohibition on local governments adopting and enforcing ordinances that prohibit housing discrimination based on a tenant’s use of a housing choice voucher

HB 2457Author: CanalesDescription: Requires a landlord to apply a payment from a tenant to unpaid rent before applying it to unpaid fees; prohibits a landlord from charging a fee on unpaid sums owned by a tenant that do not include rent

SB 125Author: WestDescription: Requires parking permits issued to a tenant by a landlord to be coterminous with a lease

SB 1047Author: WestDescription: Requires a landlord to provide 90 days notice to a tenant to relocate for the purposes of rehabilitation, demolition, or change in property use

SB 1414Author: HancockDescription: Relates to the calculation and reasonableness of late fees that can be charged by a landlord to a tenant for the late payment of rent

SB 1440Author: ZaffiriniDescription: Establishes a tenant’s right to occupy a rental housing unit in the event of a foreclosure by the property owner; requires successor in interest to provide tenant 90-day notice to vacate

Disaster Recovery

HB 274Author: Davis, SarahDescription: Creation of a Disaster Investment Fund and appropriation of $15 million from the Economic Stabilization (Rainy Day) Fund to it

HB 478Author: PhelanDescription: Establishes the Flood Infrastructure Fund and funding sources; prioritizes the benefit to counties with a median household income of 85% or less of the state’s median household income

HB 492Author: ShineDescription: Allows taxing units to establish temporary property tax exemptions for homesteads damaged after a disaster based on the level of damage

HB 493Author: ShineDescription: Identical to HB 492, but allows taxing units to apply to Comptroller for a refund of exempted taxes; no funding source identified

HB 622Author: NeaveDescription: Allows owners of homesteads rendered unusable by a natural disaster to apply to County Appraisal Districts requesting that property taxes not be increased

HB 801Author: WalleDescription: Companion to SB 179

HB 1010Author: PaulDescription: Requiring TWDB and other stakeholders to create a state flood plan

HB 1152Author: BernalDescription: Prohibiting price gouging for building materials in a disaster declared area

HB 1296Author: Davis, SarahDescription: Requires the General Land Office to create a Disaster Case Management System to collect data from disaster survivors for the purposes of providing assistance by federal, state, local government and NGOs

HB 1299Author: Davis, SarahDescription: Requires the Comptroller to maintain a disaster expenditure database by political subdivision for all types of disaster-related funding

SB 179Author: MilesDescription: Establishes task force to study flooding in Harris County and report to the legislature by Dec. 1, 2020

SB 220Author: MenendezDescription: Study on potential collaboration between Texas Department of Emergency Management and the United States Postal Service to assess damage after a natural disaster

SB 289Author: LucioDescription: Establishes a disaster recovery housing planning process administered by the General Land Office and in conjunction with Texas A&M University for local governments (“RAPIDO”)

SB 339Author: HuffmanDescription: Increased floodplain notification requirements from a seller to a buyer of residential property

SB 396Author: PerryDescription: Requiring TWDB and counties governments to create a state flood plan, a dam repair and maintenance plan, and establishes an advisory committee of certain legislators and agency representatives

SB 428Author: LucioDescription: Requiring a study by the Health & Human Services Commission and Texas Division of Emergency Management on the use of a single intake form for state and federal disaster assistance

SB 443Author: HancockDescription: Extends homestead exemption to property damaged by casualty wind or water damage and rendered uninhabitable or unusable from 2 years to 5 years for property in a disaster declared area

SB 546Author: WatsonDescription: Allows tenants receiving other types of housing assistance to serve on the commission of a public housing authority

SB 563Author: PerryDescription: Establishes reporting requirements for certain state entities that receive federal funding for flood research, planning, or mitigation to the Texas Water Development Board

SB 595Author: KolkhorstDescription: Requires an audit of CDBG-DR funds used by GLO and its subrecipients to be conducted annually

HB 96Author: SwansonDescription: Increases notification requirements from LIHTC program applicants to neighborhood organizations; requires a “study of the development’s anticipated effects” on the area

HB 416Author: GuerraDescription: Removes letters from state representatives as scoring criteria for the LIHTC program

HB 834Author: HernandezDescription: Allows counties to adopt a land bank program

HB 1194Author: DuttonDescription: Providing a tax exemption from a school district for a property owner on property located near a school campus or in a Municipal Management District if property will be used to provide affordable housing

HB 1215Author: CollierDescription: Makes permanent a sunset change to LIHTC program scoring criteria that prohibits the agency from using school quality as a scoring criterion

HB 1586Author: GoodwinDescription: Companion to SB 544

HB 1839Author: Thompson, SenfroniaDescription: Allows the waiver of the two-mile rule in LIHTC program if the required local government approves the allocation of housing tax credits by vote

HB 1881Author: CalanniDescription: Would exempt applicants to the LIHTC program from notification requirements to the county commissioners court for sites located in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston

HB 1937Author: GoldmanDescription: Creates a state low-income housing tax credit program based on franchise and insurance tax credits

HB 1973Author: ButtonDescription: Makes state representative letters of support scoring criteria in the LIHTC program only for sites located in unincorporated urban areas

HB 2054Author: RosenthalDescription: Expands the authority to create Homestead Preservation Districts to the City of Houston

HB 2185Author: RodriguezDescription: Provides authority for the City of Austin to create Homestead Preservation Districts

HB 2186Author: RodriguezDescription: Companion bill to SB 542

HB 2480Author: RosenthalDescription: Limits the amount of property taxes that may be imposed on the residence homestead of low-income households located in Homestead Preservation District

HB 2943Author: ButtonDescription: Removes letters from state representatives as scoring criteria for the LIHTC program

HB 3254Author: RodriguezDescription: Creates a 5% set-aside for supportive housing in the LIHTC program

HB 3272Author: Gonzalez, JessicaDescription: Companion bill to SB 864

HB 3050Author: HinojosaDescription: Repeals the state ban on cities adopting and enforcing ordinances or requirements that establish a maximum sales price for a privately produced housing unit or residential building lot

SB 233Author: MenendezDescription: Relating to a limit on the amount of certain private activity bonds for qualified residential rental projects

SB 335Author: WestDescription: Relating to the organization of Community Land Trusts and appraisal of property held by them

SB 543Author: WatsonDescription: Requires LIHTC program applicants who own other developments receiving LIHTC to waive their right to a qualified contract in order to receive an award of LIHTC on a new application

SB 544Author: WatsonDescription: Relating to the allocation of funds under the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act

SB 545Author: WatsonDescription: Requires that a neighborhood organization be in good standing with Secretary of State to receive notification in the LIHTC program or to award points; provides that a municipality may be notified and award points instead of a county when applicable

SB 547Author: WatsonDescription: Increases the period that property acquired by a charitable organization to be used for affordable housing may be exempted from ad valorem taxation from 5 to 10 years after acquisition

SB 864Author: WatsonDescription: Promotes the use of rights of first refusal in awarding Low Income Housing Tax Credits; extends ROFR notice periods from 60 to 120 days; requires that properties be offered for sale at minimum price as defined in Section 42 of Internal Revenue Code of 1986

SB 958Author: JohnsonDescription: Provides a right of first refusal to public housing authorities and their corporations on property that is subject to the Rental Assistance Demonstration program

SB 1019Author: AlvaradoDescription: Pilot home repair grant program for owners who make the housing available to HCV and VASH holders; funded by existing Housing Trust Fund resources

SB 1114Author: LucioDescription: Allows school districts to sell below market value or donate real property for the use of affordable housing for school district staff

SB 1117Author: LucioDescription: Provides authority for all municipalities to adopt a land bank program that do not already operate such a program under Chapters 379C, 379D, 379E, or 373A; establishes program regulations that do not apply to programs under these chapters

SB 1118Author: LucioDescription: Codifies into statute the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program under TDHCA

SB 1128Author: WestDescription: Modifies criteria that must be met by the City of Dallas in designating an area as a Homestead Preservation District

Environmental Justice

HB 944Author: DuttonDescription: Requires a notification sign on site where a permit is being sought from TCEQ

HB 999Author: CollierDescription: Expands the persons/entities who can request a public hearing from the TCEQ regarding the construction of a concrete plant

HB 1280Author: AllenDescription: Expands the persons/entities who can request a public hearing from the TCEQ regarding the construction of a concrete plant

HB 90Author: OrtegaDescription: Relating to the regulation of wrap mortgages

HB 1176Author: DarbyDescription: Reduces time period to exercise right of action over interest in real property conveyed by an instrument with defects; includes defects caused by non-governmental entities

SB 42Author: ZaffiriniDescription: Companion bill to HB 90

SB 1402Author: RodriguezDescription: Allows El Paso and Hidalgo Counties to apply Model Subdivision Rules to subdivisions that are less than 50% occupied

Tax and Finance

HB 160Author: RaymondDescription: Extending a $10,000 homestead exemption to parents or guardians of a minor with disability

HB 675Author: ThierryDescription: Relating to a study and report by the Comptroller on the establishment and implementation of a program that provides financial assistance to property owners who offer housing to veterans at risk of homelessness

SB 826Author: HancockDescription: Creates a state tax incentive program that pairs with Opportunity Zones in rural areas (Towns with Pop. < 50,000 and Counties with pop. < 200,000) by providing insurance tax credits for investment in eligible small businesses with eligible plan; assesses a penalty on tax credit award if plan not met

SB 836Author: MilesDescription: Limits a chief appraiser from appraising a housing unit subject to a community land trust land use restriction for an amount that exceeds the price for which the housing unit may be sold per the land use restriction in a given tax year

SB 1046Author: BirdwellDescription: Extends the sunset date of the Property Redevelopment and Tax Abatement Act by 10 years; requires certain information to be provided with the public meeting notice regarding a property and proposed improvements being considered for a tax abatement

SB 1079Author: WatsonDescription: Requires the Comptroller to conduct a study on the use of a “circuit breaker”, where property tax liability would be related to a homeowner’s income

Behavioral Health and Supportive Housing

HB 53Author: MinjarezDescription: Relating to the transitional living services program for certain youth in foster care

HB 1465Author: MoodyDescription: Requiring a study on the expansion of recovery housing in Texas for residents suffering from substance abuse

HB 1952Author: ZerwasDescription: Prohibits the enforcement of restrictive covenants by a property owners’ association that effectively prohibit the use of property as a eligible community home; creates regulations related to parking at a community home

SB 1000Author: WatsonDescription: Prohibits a municipality from adopting a zoning or land use code that prohibits a religious organization from using its facilities to provide housing for homeless individuals; allows adoption and enforcement of reasonable health and safety regulations

SB 1116Author: LucioDescription: Creates a tax credit program administered by TSAHC for the development of supportive housing